Written evidence we received emphasised the importance of addressing this skills gap, raising concerns about the public sector’s ability to take advantage of the opportunities of AI responsibly and ethically without 28 Qq 10–11 29 Q 57 30 Q 20 31 C&AG’s Report, figure 9 32 DSIT, State of digital government review, January 2025, pp. 29–31 33 Q 25 13 greater expertise. Recommendations included building partnerships between the public and private sectors as well as academia, improving basic AI l...

Written evidence we received emphasised the importance of addressing this skills gap, raising concerns about the public sector’s ability to take advantage of the opportunities of AI responsibly and ethically without 28 Qq 10–11 29 Q 57 30 Q 20 31 C&AG’s Report, figure 9 32 DSIT, State of digital government review, January 2025, pp. 29–31 33 Q 25 13 greater expertise. Recommendations included building partnerships between the public and private sectors as well as academia, improving basic AI literacy within the public sector, increasing pay for specialist skills, and building AI competencies into existing professional development frameworks.34 Type: conclusion | Number: 15 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 3. PAC conclusion: There are persistent digital skills shortages in the public sector and DSIT’s plans to address the skills gap may not be enough. 3. PAC recommendation: DSIT and Cabinet Office should write to the committee alongside publication of the Digital a